Combined car and pipe coupling.



M. HRNICH.

COMBlNED CAR AND PIPBCOUPUNG.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, ISIS- Patented May 22, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

MILAN HRNICH, OF CONEMAUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO RAFOELO GOYSSOVICH, OF CONEMAUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED CAR AND PIPE COUPLING.

Application filed October 9, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILAN T'TRNICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conemangh, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Car and Pipe Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive coupler for train pipes equipped with improved means for yieldably holding the two coupling heads in engagement and for restoring said heads to their normal positions in case they be rotated in either direction.

lVith the foregoing genera-l object in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawing which constitutes a part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of car couplers showing the application of the improved train pipe coupler thereto, the parts being shown in the positions which they assume immediately before the cars are coupled;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing the two heads of the improved coupler in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on substan tially the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 1- is a perspective view showing the two coupling heads; and.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the coupling heads used on freight trains.

In the drawings, the numerals 1 designate common types of coupling heads such as those used on both freight and passenger cars, said heads, due to the nature of the present invention, having depending arms 2 whose lower ends are formed with circular openings 3 whose. axes extend longitudinally of the cars upon which the heads 1 are mounted.

A pair of preferably circular coupling heads 4 are provided with cylindrical shanks or necks 5 mounted for sliding movement as well as slight rotation in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Serial No. 124,591.

openings 3, said necks or shanks extending inwardly beyond the arms 2 and having caps 6 secured on their inner terminals by means of pins or the like 7.

Coiled springs 8 are interposed between the caps 6 and the arms 2, the ends of said springs being passed through openings 9 and 10 formed respectively through the arms 2 and caps 6, the terminals of said ends being bent laterally as indicated at 11 to anchor them. By locating the springs S and anchoring them in this manner they will exert their tension to normally force the two heads at outwardly away from the arm 2, thus causing said springs to be placed under tension when said heads come in contact upon coupling of the heads 1, this tension serving to hold the coacting flat faces of said heads 4 in contact. The springs S anchored at their ends respectively to the caps 3 and the arms 2, will also hold the shanks 5 and heads at in normal position and will return them to such position even though they may rotate to a slight extent as the train equipped therewith is passing over the road bed.

The heads a may be of any suitable construction, but the outer flat ends of said heads are preferably equipped with projecting semi-circular flanges 12, the flange of each head serving to engage the unflanged edge of the other head as shown clearly in Fig. 3. Each head 4 is preferably formed with two ports 13 which open at their inner ends through the flat faces of said heads, rubber gaskets 1% being here provided in order that fluid-tight connection may be established between the ports of the two heads. The outer ends of the ports 13 pass through nipples 15 to which the usual train pipes 16 are connected.

The type of head 4 so far described, that is the form employing two ports 13, is designed primarily for use on passenger trains, but if the invention is to be employed on freight trains which use only a single pipe line, heads such as that shown at P in Fig. 5 may be employed, this head having a single port 13 increased in width at its outer end and here provided with a rubber gasket 14*, the other end of the port being provided with a nipple 15 by means of which the train pipe may be connected to the head. The head a is provided with a neck or shank 5 identical with those above described, and on one of its edges said head will preferably be equipped with a flange 12 which is preferably straight rather than semi-circular as isthe case with the flange 12.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that although the construction of the improved hose coupler is comparatively simple and inexpensive, the device will be highly' eflicient and durable. For these reasons, the exact construction shown and described constitutes the preferred form of the device, but .it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may be made.

I claim:

The combination with a pair of ear coupling heads; of rigid arms depending from said heads and having circular guide openings formed therethrough, a pair of coupling heads spaced outwardly from said arms in advance ofthe openings thereof, cylindrical shanks for said heads extending slidably and rotatably through the aforesaid openings to points spaced in rear of said arms, caps secured to the inner ends of said shanks and having bores parallel therewith, the lower ends of said arms also having bores parallel with said shanks, and coiled springs surrounding said shanks be tween the arms and caps, said springs having straight ends anchored in the bores of said arms and caps.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MILAN HRNICH.

lVitnesses P. REESE, RAFAEL GoJsovIo.

Copies of'this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatcnts, Washington, D. C. 

